It prompted an extensive search by police, coastguard and lifeboat services, resulting in two bodies being recovered.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "An investigation is under way after two men died in a light aircraft crash two miles off the coast of Skipness, between the Mull of Kintyre and the Isle of Arran, around 3.45pm on Thursday.

"The alarm was raised after the aircraft, which took off from Oban Airport, North Connel, around 11.30am, failed to arrive at its destination of Carlisle Airport at 1pm."

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the search was stood down on Thursday night.

A spokesman said: "An extensive search was co-ordinated by the UK Coastguard off the coast of Skipness between the Mull of Kintyre and Arran after an aircraft with two people on board was reported as overdue.

"Tarbert, Southend and Campbeltown coastguard rescue teams, the UK Coastguard search-and-rescue helicopter based at Prestwick, Arran, Portpatrick and Tignabruich RNLI lifeboats, alongside Police Scotland, carried out the search until it was stood down just before 8pm."

A spokesman for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said: "We have sent a small team of investigators to begin our investigations."